Sales force a ‘critical element’ of Pfizer’s five-year plan

As industry analysts continue to examine how manufacturers can justify large-scale sales force investment, Pfizer said it has no plans to scale back on its sales force, at least for the next three to five years. "We've got plenty to do over the next three to five years, which is kind of our strategic horizon, and the field force is going to be a critical element in that mix," Pfizer's chief executive Henry McKinnell said during the company's fourth quarter earnings call to analysts. But Pfizer's notion that its sales force will remain fully intact is not a plan that is set in stone. "We always look at ways to improve the capability and structure of our field force," said McKinnell.Pfizer is expected to provide further guidance on its 2005 strategy at an analysts meeting on April 5. However, events like the February FDA advisory committee meeting on COX-2 drugs could have an impact on Pfizer's spending on sales activities, McKinnell said.